Bag filling apparatus



June 15, 1943. A. c. HOBBIE 2,322,090

BAG FILLING APPARATUS Filed June 19, 1941 INVENTOR A/bpr/ c. #065 7ATTO/LK/fY Patented June 15, 1943 2,322,090 BAG FILLING APPARATUS Albert0. Robbie, Moorestown, N. J., assignor to International PulverizingCorporation, Moorestown, N. 3., a corporation of New Jersey ApplicationJune 19, 1941, Serial No. 398,826

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a bag holder for use on bag filling machines.It relates in particular to a means for holding limp or non-rigid bagsor similar cartons on the nozzle or filling spout of machines deliveringbulk goods to be packaged, especially machines delivering such goodsunder slight pressure, or delivering materials of noxious or toxicnature where dust must be eliminated.

The problem of holding limp bags, sacks or other non-rigid cartons inposition beneath the delivery spout of bulk commodity handling equipmenthas long been acute. Numerous devices have been proposed in an attemptto solve the problem, but none have been particularly successful. Manyof the proposed means have relied on mechanical clamps, supportingframes, and the like, but these have all been defective, either in beingadapted only to one size of bag, or in not providing suificient grip, orin failing'to seal the bag around the delivery spout during the deliveryof finely divided, powdery material. The problem exist today in grindingmills of all sorts, on threshing machines, and in numerous othermachines where bulk goods are delivered to be put up in limp orsemi-rigid cartons.

The present invention is directed to a solution of the above-statedproblems, and has among its objects the provision of a bag holderadapted to handle bags or cartons of any reasonable size larger than thedelivery spout from which they are to be filled. Another object is toprovide bag holding means as aforesaid which will form a substantiallydust tight seal between the bag to be filled and the filling spout. Yeta further object is to provide such a bag holder as above indicated,which may be adjusted at will to provide the requisite tension to hold abag in position, regardless of the load charged into the bag, up to itscapacity and bursting strength. Still another object is to provide apneumatically operated and controlled bag holder. Other and relatedobjects are also in view, and will become apparent to the reader fromthe following detailed description.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention,then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described, andparticularly pointed out in the appended claim, the annexed drawing andthe following description setting forth in detail but one of the variousfom'is in which the invention may appear.

In the single sheet of the said annexed drawing, wherein like parts aredesignated throughout by like numerals,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section,

illustrating the new bag holder at rest and in operation;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view, in horizontal section, taken alongthe line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and showing the bag holder in operation; and

Fig. 3 is a similar fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3-3of Fig. 1, showing the bag holder when idle.

In the preferred embodiment, illustrated in the drawing, anyconventional bulk goods delivery tube l0, suitably provided with abarrel valve or other delivery controlling or measuring means, issecured, as by matched'fianges l2 and i3, to spout member It, which maybe tapered suitably in the shape of a conic frustum, as shown, andhaving a delivery port 24 at its lower extremity. Spout I4 is providedwith a horizontal, peripherally disposed, and preferable snugly fittingplate flange [5, which may be welded or otherwise secured to the spoutmember l4. Plate I5 is pro-.

vided with several bolt holes, drilled on a circle concentric with thespout M. Dependent from plate l5, and supported therefrom by bolts I6,is a horizontally disposed fiat ring member l'l, concentric with spout Hand having an internal diameter somewhat larger than the outsidediameter of spout l4, thus providing an annular space between ring l1and spout M. Between plate I5 and ring I! are two rings l8 and IS withvertical walls, serving as spacers between plate l5 and ring I'l.. Ringsl8 and I9 are cylindrical sections, concentric with one another and withspout M, which they encircle. Two continuous i. e., circular bands ofpure gum rubber, or like yieldable material, are provided, of a widthsuitably about 1 to 1% times the distance between plate l5 and ring ll,one band 2| being of a diameter somewhat greater than that of ring l8,and the other band 22 being of normal, i. e., undistended, diametersomewhat less than that of ring l9. Band 2| may be of a diametersubstantially the same as or slightly less than ring l8 so that whenpressure is released, as hereinafter described, band 2| will deflatemore rapidly. Likewise band 22 may be of substantially the same diameteras the inside periphery of ring 19 and may be installed under slightaxial tension to make a snug fit to the inside of ring I9 when pressurein said band is released, as hereinafter described. Band 2| is put inposition outside of ring IS with its upper rim folded over that ring andits lower rim folded under that ring, the upper and lower said rimsbeing held securely in place between ring l8 and plate l5 above it andring ll below it. Similarly, the gum rubber r sheet 22 is positionedinside ring i9, and is folded and secured in the manner just described.Rings [8 and I!) are each provided with a series of holes 20 to permitequalizing pressure on their inner and outer surfaces. An air supplytube 21 passes through plate i5 and leads into the annular space betweenrings l8 and i9. Tube 2'! is preferably provided with a 3-way valve 23so that pneumatic pressure may be applied or released at will. The twopositions of said valve are air-in and air-out. Pressure regulatingmeans (not shown) are preferably installed ahead of valve 23.

In operation, the bag holder is assembled as above-described and a bag25, of substantially the same diameter as the tapered spout member 14its junction with plate i5, is slipped over the I opening 24 of spouti4. Valve 23 is turned to admit a suitable fluid under pressure, such aswater or air, through tube 24 into the space between rings i8 and IS.The pressure is distributed through holes and distends the gum rubberbands or sheets 2| and 22. Fluid pressure is adjusted until band 22 isexpanded and fits snugly around the mouth of bag 25, holding firmlyagainst spout l4. Valve H is opened to admit bulk material to bag 25.When bag is full, valve ii is closed, and the grip of band 22 on bag 25is released by opening valve 23 to the air-out," or vent, position,thereby allowing bands 2| and 22 to relax or contract to their normalpositions. Filled bag 25 is thus dropped from the spout and the next bagmoved into place, and the operations repeated.

When a bag 26 is employed of diameter greater than that of ring H, theoperation is much the same, except that bag 26 is slipped over theoutside ring i1 and band 2| is expanded to hold the bag 26 open fromwithin. If desired, when using a bag 26 of larger mouth opening than thediameter of ring il, a depending skirt may be provided on plate IE tocooperate with expanded band 2| in holding the bag, though this isordinarily not necessary.

It is to be understood that numerous modifications may be made in thedevice disclosed and changes made in the elements thereof withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention. Such alterations,adjustments, and changes are within the skill of a packaging expert or amechanic after having read the foregoing description.

The expansible bands 2| and 22 have been described as being of pure gumrubber. While this is the preferred material most commonly availablecommercially, other forms of rubber, and

. numerous rubber-like materials may be substituted in its stead.Similarly, retaining means for the bag holder may be provided other thanthe plate i5, ring l1, and spacer rings i8 and II, provided thatpneumatic pressure be employed to expand a peripherally disposedtube-like member into engagement with the bag or carton to be filled,holding the container insubstantially dust tight relationship with adelivery spout.

* The device described is operative on paper or cloth bags, or sacks,semi-rigid box-like structures, and the like, and, while it has beendescribed as or circular cross-section, it need not be so limited, theprinciple being applicable as well to rectangular, square, and variouspolygonal or oval types of spouts or containers or both and to rigidcontainers such as glass bottles or tin cans.

The description has had particular reference to a holder comprised oftwo distensible container holders, one capable of expanding inwardly tosecure a container against the delivery spout, and the other capable oi!expanding outwardly to hold a larger container open from within. It is'to be understood that either of the distensible tube-like members may beused alone, being selected and positioned, according to its radius ofdistension, near the imaginary circle representing the open mouth of theparticular size of bag concerned in position to be filled.

Having now described a preferred embodiment of the invention, and amanner in which the same may be operated I declare that what I desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A container holder, for use during the filling oi' non-rigid containerswith bulk material, comprising a vertically disposed bulk goods deliveryspout, a horizontally disposed, rigid supporting member about saidspout, a horizontally disposed, flat, ring-like member of internaldiameter greater than that of the spout dependent from said rigidsupporting member, and spaced therefrom, a rigid, vertically walled ringconcentric with the spout for spacing the horizontally disposed rigidsupporting member from the fiat ringlike member, a continuous band ofdistensible, rubber-like material secured along its upper rim betweenthe first said rigid supporting member and the vertically walled rigidring member and at its lower rim between said vertical ring member andthe horizontally disposed dependent ring, forming a continuous pocketbetween said band and the vertically walled ring, and means forintroducing fluid under pressure into said pocket whereby therubber-like material may be distended into engagement with a containerin position to be filled.

ALBERT C. HOBBIE.

